The Timberwolves did not extend a qualifying offer to Michael Beasley this offseason, and it looks like we know why. According to a report, it’s because Minnesota coach Rick Adelman feels Beasley doesn’t play defense or move the ball on offense.
Britt Robson wrote a piece on Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor for Twin Cities Business Magazine that was published mid-September. On Monday, he published a piece on Minn Post sharing additional stories from Taylor.
According to Robson, here’s what Taylor said Adelman thinks about Beasley:
“What Rick said about Michael was, ‘Yes, Michael has been good. I get along with him. But I don’t think we’ll be a championship team with him. If I put Michael in, Michael can score, but he doesn’t play any defense and he forgets the other offensive players, and I just can’t tolerate that under my system because the other players are just standing around.’”
It’s no surprise to hear that analysis of Beasley’s game. You may recall that after an easy win over the Wizards in January, Adelman emphasized that the ball moved well that game. What was notable about that game? Beasley was out with an injury. Even Kevin Love attributed the ball moving well to Beasley being out.
Love also commented in the offseason that the Timberwolves improved because they got rid of some bad blood in the locker room. Between this report about Beasley, and ex-Timberwolves big man Darko Milicic saying he’d kill someone on the court, I think we know about whom Love was speaking.
Chest bump to SB Nation
